Napoli director sends Victor Osimhen transfer update to Chelsea and makes January admission
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Napoli director Mauro Meluso has been speaking about Victor Osimhen’s situation after his failed Chelsea transfer on transfer deadline day. The Blues pushed to snap up the striker in the final hours of the summer window, but they failed to meet his wage demands and ultimately decided to walk away.
With interest from Saudi Arabia also falling by the wayside, Osimhen wound up joining Galatasaray on loan for the season due to the Turkish window remaining open following the closure of windows elsewhere in Europe. Though, it’s believed there is a break clause in the loan deal that can be activated should a top European side submit a permanent bid for the Napoli-owned striker.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdChelsea could be tempted by that, being long-term admirers, though Nicolas Jackson’s fine form this season will certainly give Enzo Maresca pause for thought. In the meantime, Napoli director Meluso has opened up on the Osimhen situation, claiming it was the striker’s decision to pull away from the first team despite claims the club axed him following the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea. “He no longer wanted to be part of the first-team,” Napoli director Meluso said during the Palermo Football Conference. “He had received an important offer even before I arrived at Napoli, but [Napoli chairman] Aurelio De Laurentiis didn’t consider it because he thought about the club’s good. He may have made wrong decisions but did them to keep Napoli competitive.”
As for the Galatasaray move, Meluso says it was a decision forced by the circumstances, and admits there could be a deal done for Osimhen to head elsewhere come January. He added: “It was a last-minute solution so he would not lose the first three months of the season. We will see in January.”
Osimhen’s love for Drogba
Osimhen has previously admitted that he is a huge fan of Didier Drogba’s, which might sway him towards Chelsea. He said, as cited by the Daily Mail: “I have always supported Drogba and I have huge love and admiration for him. I remember when he scored the equaliser in the 2012 Champions League Final, an amazing header, and the way I celebrated was as though I had scored the goal. My friends knew I was obsessed with Drogba. When I scored 10 goals and won the Golden Boot at the Under-17 World Cup in 2015, one of the Nigeria staff showed me a tweet from Drogba.
“It said ‘Congratulations Victor. I wish you all the best for the future.’ I was shocked. I never believed someone like Didier Drogba would tweet those words to a young aspiring striker.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“Trust me, he has been so helpful. One morning last year I woke up and checked my Instagram, and found messages to me from him, complimenting me, but saying I still had a long way to go. It's amazing to be in contact with him. I try to model my game on his and there are a lot of things I can take from his game and add to my own, so there is nothing better for a young player. He's a hero in his country, he's played to the highest level, won a lot and made African youngsters dream. He's a busy man but whenever he sees my messages on Instagram he replies immediately. It's a great feeling.”
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.